The Current Between Us (18 page)

“
Jean-Paul, I think we would like something along the back wall tonight, looking out over the lake,” Gage said, looking back at Trent who stood gazing around the room. Gage couldn’t judge his reaction, but he hoped Trent was impressed.

Jean-Paul only nodded.
“Follow me this way, gentlemen.”

The restaurant looked busier than he expected it to be for a Monday night, but the table he chose earlier in the day while making the reservation stayed vacant and waiting for them. Located in the far right hand corner of the restaurant, it gave the best view of both the lake and downtown Chicago. As instructed, Trent was seated where he could easily see both. Gage did the ma
ître d’s job and pulled the chair out for Trent. He saw the move startled Trent, but he sat, allowing Gage to push the seat forward from behind. The table was small and intimate, keeping them close together no matter where Gage chose to sit, but he took the seat directly to the left of Trent. Jean-Paul handed each one their menu and began reciting the specials of the evening.

“
Tonight’s specials are the Veal Chop Alla Armani and the Bistecca Alla Zorich. Mr. Synclair, your usual bottle of wine?” he asked.

“
Yes, thank you, Jean-Paul,” Gage said, looking up at the maître d as he gave a slight bow and left. His eyes lowered to Trent, who opened the menu, a confused expression came over his features as he scanned the page, causing Gage to chuckle.

****

The menu was written in Italian or so Trent assumed. Of course, no prices lurked anywhere to be found. He lifted his gaze and looked out along Lake Michigan. The sheer opulence overwhelmed him. As long as he’d lived in Chicago, he’d never witnessed anything quite like this. He knew it existed; big money makers were scattered all over Chicago, but he’d never been invited to anything near as nice.

The tables were spread out with four or five feet between them. Not anything like the restaurants he frequented, where as many tables as possible were shoved in a room, turning over every thirty minutes. Every table here seemed to be placed for privacy as well as viewing advantage. To his left, the city sparkled in the night for as far as the eye could see, and from the right, the lake waved and rippled under the constant glow of the moon.

On a whim, he turned in his seat, looking back over the restaurant and a dreadful thought occurred to him. He’d only brought a hundred dollars with him tonight and who knew if there was any room on his work credit card. Every bit of the supplies bought for Gage’s gallery had been purchased on his company card. The American Express edged dangerously close to maxed out, at least until any of his receivables came in. He’d been so absorbed in Gage, it never occurred to him to grab his debit card or checkbook from the truck before coming out tonight. Gage mentioned something about paying, but he couldn’t and shouldn’t let him do that.

It would be more appropriate for him to buy Gage
’s meal. After all, Gage was technically considered his client. Trent turned back in his seat and lifted the menu again, studying it hard. Surely to God his meal wouldn’t be over a hundred dollars, even in such a fine place. But what if it were? What were his options? He scanned the menu, trying to decipher anything that might look like a price. The only option he could see, he would have to call Sophia, and ask her to bring him his debit card and wouldn’t that be totally embarrassing? He could feel the heat of a blush coming to his cheeks as those thoughts caused his brow to narrow even further.

“
Do you read Italian?” Gage asked, drawing Trent’s attention back to him.

“
No, not at all,” he said, but bit his lip as the answer dawned on him. He should order something simple. A salad or maybe an appetizer, surely even in a place like this neither of those would cost over a hundred dollars.

“
You sure look like you’re trying to,” Gage said with a wink.

“
No, I was trying to decide how hungry I am. I think something simple… Maybe a soup,” Trent said and lowered the menu, placing it carefully on the place setting beside him.

“
Ahh, Trent, I think you should try the special tonight. It’s a marvelous dish from an extremely sought after chef. I remember doing a tour in Italy and running across him back when he first started out. I’ll never forget the extraordinary meal he cooked for me. It didn’t take too long to get him here. His filets are the most tender you have ever eaten. Please allow me the opportunity to order for you. If you aren’t hungry, you can just taste it.”

Gage said it all while reaching across the table to place the menu on top of his before reaching over to retake Trent
’s hand, lacing their fingers together. Gage rested their joined hands on the table before starting the slow, sensual rub of his thumb along his skin. Gage’s thumb reached in and gently caressed his palm. A small electrical current shot up his arm and landed in both his heart and his dick with every swipe. Before things went much further, and he lost all his ability to think straight, Trent decided to try honesty.

“
Gage, I’m not sure I brought enough money to cover this meal. I don’t know what I was thinking. Well, I know what I thought… I thought we would be at the Chili’s close to my house and then back home within a couple of hours. It didn’t occur to me we might come downtown. It should have, but it didn’t,” he said, and the blush in his cheeks grew hotter with each word he spoke.

“
Babe,” Gage said, leaning in closer to him as the waiter came forward with a wine bucket to sit beside Gage. The waiter went through the steps of opening the bottle of wine with a friendly smile in place. Gage sat back, pausing so the waiter could complete his task.

“
Hello, Mr. Synclair. It’s a nice evening out. Will you be having the special, sir?” the waiter asked while working the cork out of the bottle and pouring one glass, allowing Gage to test the wine first.

“
Yes, I do believe we’ve decided on two specials please.” Gage took a sip of the wine, savoring the taste. “And the wine’s perfect.” The waiter poured another glass for Trent, placing it in front of him. As the waiter looked at him, the warm smile he gave Gage was gone. Something close to animosity radiated from the young man’s face before he looked away. Trent recognized that look. This waiter had spent time with Gage, probably recently if the guy were this upset by Trent’s presence.

Gage took up the conversation again once the waiter retreated from the table.
“Babe, listen to me. I invited you out. I did the asking. This is my date to pay. You invited me to your McDonald’s last night. I let you pay and never said a word. I also let you get the doors. Now it’s my turn.”

“
A Coke is a way different thing than a menu with no pricing, Gage,” Trent shot back.

“
That may be, but it’s still where I chose to bring you. You’re my date tonight,” Gage reiterated, sitting back in his seat, picking up his glass of wine with his free hand and taking a long drink.

“
All right, I can’t see how I have much of an argument, but the next time is mine, if there is a next time. I have a change in subject though. You were with the waiter who served us, but I can tell by the look on your face you don’t even remember, do you?” Trent asked.

“
Of course, I remember. Well, I try to remember… Do you remember all your times?” Gage asked. He never released Trent’s hand and sat there looking perfectly relaxed.

“
No, I guess I don’t, but you haven’t been back in town for more than a couple of months,” Trent said.

“
Hmm… Yes, that’s true…” Gage sat forward and placed his wine glass back on the table. He leaned in toward Trent drawing their joined hands up for a small swipe of a kiss across Trent’s knuckles. “Let’s talk about how you’ve followed my career. It may help in rebuilding my confidence back to my fragile heart. You’ve given me a good run, Trent Cooper. I was convinced I lusted after a straight married man. I do believe you’ll have to spend some time making it all up to me in the very near future.”

He watched as if the world were in slow motion. When those lips caressed his hand, the sensation sent his heart slamming wildly in his chest and his skin tickled under the touch. After a small pause, he finally asked,
“You thought I was married?”

“
Yes, your Auntie Crazy came to the gallery with the kids the afternoon before the panel change. Since my new favorite pastime includes watching you do anything and everything, I saw you all outside. I must confess I eavesdropped on much of the conversation while you were outside. I could hear them calling you Daddy. You’re all a very pretty family. The kids look like you, Emalynn especially. I would have no idea they weren’t your natural born children. You must have resembled your sister,” Gage said.

“
In some ways I do, she had a lighter complexion and naturally blond hair. She was a little thing, people thought we were twins when we were younger, but our differences were more pronounced the older we got. Hunter looks more like his dad while Emalynn looks just like my sister. I have pictures of Lynn when she was little. You can’t tell them apart except my sister was blonder than Em,” Trent said.

“
You’re a lucky man. The children are great,” Gage said.

“
I feel lucky most of the time, and I’m glad to be here with you, tonight. I’m glad it worked out. I was afraid you weren’t gonna show. My last date met the kids the night before we were to go out and then he didn’t show. Well, we planned for me to pick him up, but he wasn’t home when I got there. They can be a handful. Hunter’s at the age where he’s picking at Em a lot. It can be a lot to handle. I think Em’s about to start the
why
phase. Why is the grass green? Why is the sky blue? Everything is why,” Trent said, abruptly stopping in mid-sentence once he realized what he just rambled on about. He’d talked to himself about keeping the kids out of any conversations tonight. They were on a date, no one wanted to be dragged down by more of his children’s stories or his past dating debacles. Trent stopped the flow of words, and sat back in his chair, taking his wine glass with him. He kept his hand linked with Gage’s, but looked out into the night, staying silent, not sure how to recover the conversation.

“
My nieces and nephews all went through that stage. The oldest has to be ten now. The youngest must be two. There are eight of them. They’re a loud mess when they get together. My brothers and sisters are a fertile bunch. I’ve watched them during our family holidays and always thought I would rather take a month in Haiti before I could imagine raising a child in today’s world. But now, I have to admit, you make the job look very appealing,” Gage said.

The compliment startled him, and he shifted his eyes immediately back to Gage, trying to figure out what it meant. He knew what it sounded like it meant, but surely not
…The waiter interrupted them again. “Your dinner, Mr. Synclair.”

The waiter never acknowledged Trent, but placed the plates in front of him. There were two large plates filled with food and his stomach let out an approving growl
.

“
Good, you’re hungry. I thought you might be. I didn’t see you take lunch today,” Gage said and brought their joined hands back to his lips for another kiss, before he let go.

“
Is there anything more I can get you?” Gage looked over at Trent first, then back to the waiter who had become distantly polite and nothing more than professional.

“
Perhaps another bottle of wine, but Nothing more, we’re fine.” The waiter reached for the bottle of wine, but Gage beat him to it, and topped off Trent’s wine glass before they began to eat. Trent almost felt sorry for the guy as he retreated. His eyes stayed on Gage, and Gage never seemed to notice.

The dinner amazed, exactly as Gage promised. The meat seemed some sort of pork, slow cooked with lots of care. There were pasta dishes, salads, vegetables, the plates never stopped coming and their conversation never waned. They spoke of Gage
’s job, of his travels, and of which special reports Trent liked the most. At some point during the meal they removed their jackets and became more comfortable at the table. The conversations flowed naturally between them with no lulls as they sat and ate.

“
I should be paying for my dinner,” Trent said, taking his last bite.

“
Handsome, I should be paying you for being such good company,” Gage said. The waiter walked up at that moment, knowing instinctively when he could remove their plates. Gage kept the wine close by, topping off Trent’s glass every so often throughout the meal and again before he relaxed back in his seat, reaching for Trent’s hand once again. This time the caress became more finger play than actual hand holding. Gage ran his fingers through Trent’s, extending each one, while constantly running his thumb up and down his palm.

“
Your babysitter isn’t on a time restriction tonight, is she?” Gage asked.

“
No, Sophia’s spending the night, but Rhonny will be home by eleven at the latest, if she wanted to leave,” Trent said and looked out into the night, then around the room. They were alone, and Trent had no idea what time it was. “I guess it’s close to ten now.”